Roddick Claims He Was Joking, Novak Apologizes

Andy Roddick said that his comments about Novak Djokovic’s various injuries were all a big joke.

"Listen, I joke all the time. I don’t think anybody in their right mind takes me serious. I think it’s very clear when I give a serious answer and when I don’t give a serious answer."

Well, maybe not.

"I don’t know if, you know — he took it as seriously," he said. "I figure if you’re going to joke and imitate other people and do the whole deal, then you should take it."

Both Roddick and Djokovic said they wouldn’t discuss anything they said to each other in the locker room after the match.

After Roddick was done, a painful press conference followed with a remorseful and very dejected Novak Djokovic.

"Unfortunately, Andy made a statement," he said. "I don’t think it was intentional, O.K. He made a joke and it was a misunderstanding, so I don’t blame it on him. O.K., I did react on the court. Maybe I reacted. Maybe I exaggerated and reacted bad in that moment. No, I apologize if I reacted like that. But this was just impulsive, you know."

"I never wanted to disrespect anybody," he continued. "As I said, if I made — if I exaggerated on the court today and I made maybe a mistake saying that in front of 20,000 people, you know, in his city and his favorite tournament, O.K, I do apologize, but it was — he was not bad intentions. So I just hope people understand."

We’ll see. Novak is going to have a tough crowd and a far steeper hill to climb now when he faces New York sentimental favorite Roger Federer in the semis.